I'm Half Altmer, What of It?
by Egoperceptum
Summary: Elrue Olana. She's half Altmer, but don't hold it against her. Elrue's mother has betrayed her and, without anyone to rely on, revenge becomes the burning, all-consuming companion she needs. But is matricide the answer to all her problems?
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Skyrim or its characters. This is my take on the Dragonborn's story. Questionable lineage, doubt, and self-discovery were the main points I wanted to explore. Please leave constructive criticism and if I messed up the lore, please bring it to my attention.

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Elrue arose with the sun as she did every morning. Stretching in the full, glowing light, the young woman unfolded her large, athletic frame from the bed and stretched again. It was harvest season and her father would be all over her if she didn't get up and about in the next two minutes.

Donning leather boots, a loose tunic, and tights, Elrue pulled back her long mane of golden hair and gave it a quick braid down her back. She had far too much to do that day to be bothered with the waving locks. Strapping a thick, leather belt around her waist and sheathing the elven dagger that she'd carried with her every day since her sixteenth birthday, the woman slipped out of her room and snuck down the hallway.

At least once a week, she and her father played a game in which she attempted to surprise him. Peering around the corner with deep, golden eyes, Elrue spotted Emiluin at the kitchen pump, looking out of the window. She smiled to herself. Maybe, just maybe, today would be the day. Taking a few silent steps forward, the blonde was a mere foot away when the man spoke.

"Almost, my love."

"Damn!" She shouted and dropped heavily into the chair at the little breakfast table.

He turned and smiled at her, though his luminous yellow eyes held some distant concern. "That's closer than you've ever been. I should say you would be able to sneak up on most any predator."

"I don't hunt predators." She huffed. Her father could sneak up on a deer; she had seen him do it. The tall, slim man could move like a shadow and plunge a dagger into a stag's heart before the poor beast knew what hit him.

Emiluin smiled again. "You might some day." He said enigmatically and passed her a bowl of fruit before placing the bread, cheese, and knife on the table. "Jam?"

"Please." She nodded as he turned back around to pass her the jar before looking back out the window. Elrue studied him and found that there was something subtly off about him that morning. His stance was casual and elegant as always and the thin, high boned face was neutral. The flowing platinum hair on his head was tied back in a loose braid just as it always was on working days. However, there was something off in his eyes. Her father was Altmer through and through and never belied his anxiety, except in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

He did not turn. "We have a lot to do today."

"Papa." She said quietly and stood to come look out the window with him. "What is troubling you?"

He sighed and glanced her way. "You have had a happy twenty-four years, haven't you?"

This caught her off-guard and troubled her deeply. She frowned, "Yes, I had a great childhood."

"Do you ever wonder what might have happened if you'd been...high society?"

"High society?" She laughed and the man smiled at the sound. "What? Travel in Thalmor circles? Wear mage robes and drink aged Alinor brandy? No, thanks." She gestured to the field of grain before them. "I have climbed every tree, fished every stream, sunk my toes in the rich dirt of Sunhold and learned an appreciation of that which cannot be seen." Her father put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Besides, I'm half-Nord." She laughed again. "Most Altmer see me as the enemy."

"Hate and xenophobia are the enemy."

"I know, Papa." Elrue nodded to his automatic response. "What has you philosophizing this early in the morning? You usually wait till dinner time for this type of talk."

Emiluin looked at her a moment as though he were battling with himself. Sighing, he shrugged. "Nothing. You'll be twenty-five by Spring and I just was considering what life could have been like for you."

"Well, don't trouble yourself over me." The young woman said and her father laughed. "I'm happy where I am. I hope nothing ever changes."

"Change is inevitable."

"Can we get to work?" She rolled her eyes. "I don't want to talk about this any longer."

This time, the man belted out a laugh. "That's the Nord in you. If you don't want to listen, you walk away; if the problem follows you, you start swinging."

"Right, so don't follow me." She joked. "We both know you're far sneakier, but I have more muscle."

"You can't use that muscle if you don't see me coming." He gave her a playful shove back to her breakfast. "Eat! Stop holding us up! I'll be at the barn when you're finished."

Elrue watched him go. She had the feeling that he hadn't been totally honest with her about his concerns. Chowing down on the fruit and cheese, the blonde considered that maybe it was time for another family visit.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: A user comment brought to my attention that Elrue's mixed blood would be fairly inconsequential to her physical characteristics; that she would take the form of her mother's race regardless of other heritage. I did extensive research in this area and discovered mixed messages. The conclusion that I have come to is that yes, her mother's race would be the dominant race, but that her father's characteristics would not be completely absent. Also, the "what of it?" aspect of the story goes deeper than the physical. It pertains to social and political conflict as well. I hope that this helped clear up any confusion. As always, I am thankful for the reviews, even when they point to my mistakes.

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Every five years, Emiluin's sister and a few others came to the little cottage. Her father always seemed to look forward to the visits. Elrue imagined that it must be somewhat lonely out on the farm with only her to talk to. Perhaps seeing his family would lift his spirits.

She thought about writing them, but then remembered that the last visit had not gone so well. Four years ago, around her twentieth birthday, her aunt, Newnele had come to visit. She was doting and affectionate with her niece as always and wry and familiar with her brother. However, on the morning she left, she and Emiluin had argued; heatedly. Elrue's father had seemed upset for several days afterward. It had been four year since then, but still, the blonde would find him staring out of the window sometimes as she had this morning.

Sighing to herself, Elrue finished her breakfast and ran the bowl under the pump before heading down to the barn. The sunlight beamed and the birds were twittering and she gloried in the smell of the harvest season. Her father handed her a scythe without a word and she followed him out to the field where they began their work.

The blonde moved rhythmically as she worked her way down the rows of grain. The sun was hot on her hair and exposed skin and she knew she was turning more golden by the moment. Her strange combination of Nordic and Elven blood caused her hair and skin to always become gilded in the sun until her father had begun calling her his little golden finch.

It was late morning before she heard her his tale-tell whistle and looked up. A caravan was coming up the dusty path to their farm and Emiluin stood rigidly watching its progress.

"Oh, peddlers." The woman smiled and came to stand beside him. "I need a new whetstone-"

"Go to the barn, Elrue." He said sharply. The blonde stopped abruptly where she was and looked at him. He very rarely spoke to her in a dangerous voice. The woman knew it wasn't directed at her, that he perceived some sort of threat, but it caught her off-guard nonetheless. "Now." He said out of the side of his mouth.

The young woman slung the scythe over her shoulder and turned and walked casually to the barn. _What in Oblivion was that about?_ She wondered as she tried to act unconcerned and calm. The first lesson her father taught her was to act casual in the face of danger; to remain cool and aloof. This was something she often struggled with and he blamed it on her Nord blood, but secretly, Elrue just supposed Emiluin had a natural talent in this area.

Reaching the doors, she stepped into the shade to wait. The blonde turned and watched as her father waved a hand to the caravan to approach. The wagon stopped and out jumped a few Altmer peddlers. Elrue thought this a bit odd; usually traveling salespeople were a mix of races. Khajiit mostly, but a Dunmer or two was not uncommon. However, a whole crew of High Elves peddling shady wares? This caused even the young woman to pause and Emiluin was far more paranoid that she.

After a bit of business, the wagon loaded up and moved on and the tall mer stood out in the field, hair shining like a beacon in the sun as the dust settled on the road. Once the peddlers were gone, be began to walk her way. Elrue felt that it took an eternity for him to arrive as her curiosity burned within her.

"What was that about?" She asked him the moment he stepped into the shade.

"I'm not sure." He looked at her. "What do you think?"

She was surprised he was asking her. "I wasn't expecting all High Elves. Usually travelling salespeople or peddlers are a mixed group. And they were all male, weren't they?"

"Yes."

"It's odd."

"I agree."

"I don't understand why you had to send me scampering to the shadows, though." She frowned. "It's not like I'm a child anymore."

He looked at her for a moment. "No, you're not." Silence elapsed as Elrue watched him closely. "There is a story you need to hear, my darling."

"A story?" She asked.

"Yes. It's long and full of lust, betrayal, and greed."

"Okay…"

"But not now; tonight after dinner. I want to be able to answer all of your questions."

"You can't possibly be serious?" She smiled, expecting him to grin at having pulled her leg, but the man's face remained somber. "You are serious."

"Deadly serious."

"Is this story going to change anything?"

He paused and then looked her dead in the eye. "That's up to you."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N- Another chapter. Let me know what you think.

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Elrue spent the rest of the day in deep thought. What could her father have possibly been implying? Was he a fugitive and she didn't know it? Was he a great hero living incognito? Was her mother really alive? The blonde's head reeled with question after question and Emiluin's stoicism did nothing to alleviate her anxiety.

That night as they finished dinner, the young woman turned to the man. "It's time I knew what was going on."

The tall man put his flatware under the pump and poured himself a glass of wine. "It is." He took a sip. "Once upon a time-"

"Before you begin," She interrupted. "I have to know, are you about to tell me that my whole life is a lie?"

"No." He said and she let out a breath she had been holding. "But your whole history is." This caused her to freeze once again. "May I continue?"

"Please do."

"Once upon a time, there was a fearsome Nord warrior who was captured and tortured by his enemy; a High Elf. In order to survive the ordeal, he deceived the High Elf and she fell in love with him."

"Clever son-of-a-bitch."

"The High Elf found out his treachery, but it was too late. He escaped and she was pregnant." Emiluin paused and took another calm sip of wine; though his daughter noticed how his hand shook slightly. "She bore a daughter, but could not bear to keep her. You see, the Altmer's life was dangerous and chaotic. She knew the child would be in peril and she could not look upon her without seeing her deceitful lover's face. This elf gave her daughter to her brother and made him swear that he would raise her well and protect her from harm. In spite of the hate she bore for the Nord, she loved her daughter." Elrue became dimly aware that she knew how this story ended. "And so her brother took the child and raised her as his own and found this final mission to be the most rewarding he had ever known."

"I am that child." She said quietly and stared into the flames of the small fire as her father took another sip of wine. "And you are my uncle."

"I am your father." He said sternly. "I may be your mother's brother, but I raised you and loved you and taught you. None of the life we shared has ever been ingenuine. I never put on concern or feigned care for you, my love."

"I believe that." Elrue said after several seconds of silence. "So, my mother-"

"Newnele gave me to you to protect you. She loves you dearly."

"I believe that, too." The woman nodded as she pictured the face of, what she had known as, her aunt and knew the affection to be real. "My birth father? The traitor?"

"A Nord living in Skyrim."

"Does he know of me?"

The man paused. "We don't know. Your mother certainly never told him of her pregnancy, but...he is a...powerful man and powerful men are often well-informed. I have watched every day of your life for him on the road in the face of a peddler or merchant. In the dagger of a fisherman or adventurer. I have watched for him always and taught you to do so as well."

"He would kill me?"

"Or abduct you." Emiluin nodded. "That is why those salesmen put me on edge today."

"But they were not Nords; they were Altmer."

"All the more unsettling." The man spoke and the young woman's eyes flashed with confusion. "You see, there were many within the Thalmor that believed your mother should have cut ties with you all together or sent you to Skyrim or to Cyrodiil. That your existence is a flaw or weakness for her."

"So I'm an enemy of the Nords and an enemy of the Thalmor. Fantastic."

The man nodded with a faint smile. "Which is why I have trained you to be suspicious of all people."

"You have trained me." The woman smiled. "What were you before? A Thalmor warrior?"

"I was a Sommerset Shadow."

The air in the cottage evaporated. "A thief? You were a bloody thief?"

"Who else could sneak up on a deer?" He asked.

Silence rang again. "That's a fair point. It explains why I can't ever sneak up on you and why you are so good with weapons, potions, and magick."

"So are you." He pointed out.

"Me?" She laughed. "Alright, potions, yes and I'm pretty good with magick, but weapons?"

"You can hit a squirrel sitting in a tree fifty yards out."

"But that's hunting."

"Imagine it's a bandit charging you down." Elrue paused. "You're also quick and efficient with the scythe which is nothing more than a long handled weapon. I would love to see what you could do with a war axe in your hands."

"But harvesting barley is far different than striking someone dead." She argued.

"Perhaps, but both activities have many of the same motions."

The woman let this sink in a moment and then shook her head. "So what does this mean?"

"It means that you now have a choice. The last time your aunt-" He stopped. "Your mother, came to visit she reminded me that you would soon be twenty-five. This was the age at which I was to tell you everything and allow you to make your own decision about your future."

"So I can stay here or join her? Is that it?"

"Basically." He nodded and then sipped his wine. "If you chose to go, you will take your place with Newnele and be treated as Thalmor royalty. You'll never want for anything. All will be yours. Robes, parties, jewels, suitors-"

"You're really selling this for me." The woman said sarcastically and the man seemed to hold his breath. "Since when have I ever wanted any of those things? No," Elrue shook her head, "my place is here. I wouldn't know what to do in a city or surrounded by high society."

The man smiled and the blonde could see tears threatening the edges of his eyes. "Well, now all that's left to do is to tell your mother all of this-" He began, but the sound of faintly clicking metal rose to their ears from the kitchen and they turned around just in time to see five people streaming in.

Emiluin jumped to his feet and unsheathed his dagger. The blonde was just behind him as both squared their shoulders to the intruders. "What is the meaning of this?" The man demanded.

"There's a bounty out for a High Elf male and an elf-changling girl."

"You're mercenaries?"

"We're Shadows."


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry it's been so long...

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 _"There's a bounty out for a High Elf man and an elf-changling girl."_

 _"You're mercenaries?"_

 _"We're Shadows."_

This caused Emiluin to fume. "No, you aren't. I was a Shadow. We didn't take bounties or marks; we weren't assassins."

"Times change, mate." The leader sneered. "You're what? Close to sixty? Been thirty years or so since you ran with us."

"How much it the bounty?"

"10,000 Septims."

This caused a bit of a shiver up Elrue's spine. That was a lot of money. "I can pay you double if you leave us alone."

This gave the leader of the group pause. "How bout I kill you, take your money and then cash your head into the Guildmaster?"

"You come for our heads and it will be the last thing you do."

"Oh, no, just your head, mate." The Altmer said. "They want the pretty girl alive."

"I'm more dangerous than he is." The blonde snarled and the men looked around at one another for a second.

"Come quietly pretty girl and I'll let your father go."

Elrue hesitated, but Emiluin did not. The dagger in his hand was suddenly across the room; sitting squarely in the group leader's chest. No one had even seen him throw it. All at once, the four remaining Shadows rushed forward.

Elrue stepped in front of one of them; blocking his arm with her arm and driving her fist into his throat. He gagged and went down as another one leapt forward. He swiped her with his dagger and cut through the flesh of her upper arm. With a howl of rage, she kneed him in the groin and when he doubled over, brought the hilt of her dagger down on his skull and knocked him out.

She heard a gasp and whirled to see that Emiluin had killed one Shadow and had been fighting the second one when he had sunk a compact blade into the tall man's chest. "No!" The blonde screamed and tackled the man before bringing her furious, solid fists down on his face over and over and over until she could feel his bones crunching under her knuckles and she didn't know if it was her blood on her hands or his.

When the man stopped fighting and lay supine underneath her, she scrambled back to her father. "My love…" He smiled and took a ragged breath. She could tell from the way he was breathing that blood was filling his lungs.

"Papa, let me grab a healing potion-"

"Too late-"

"It's not, I can make one-"

"Elrue." The man wheezed. "It's too late; listen to me." He reached out and grasped her hand. "Under my bed there is a loose floorboard. Open it and take the money and the journals. They'll tell you what you need to know."

"Papa-"

"Hush." Emiluin said and coughed blood. A fleck of it landed on the blonde's face and mingled with her tears. "Go to Skyrim, find your mother. She'll know what to do. Trust no one else." He wheezed and clutched her hand. "But first, you have to make sure all the assassins are dead."

"You want me to kill them?"

"No, but you don't have a choice." He looked at her. "Then, take my...corpse...into the valley and burn it in the woodpile. Dump my remains in the river. Leave no trace of my body in this house."

"I can't." She sobbed.

"You must!" More blood bubbled forth from his mouth. "If they think we left together, they will be looking for two people, not one. If you kill the Shadows first, it will give you a two day head start at least. You can be halfway through Cyrodiil by then if you take the horse. If the money runs out, sell her. You have to get to your mother, do you understand?"

"I can't-"

"Do you understand?" He reached up and grabbed her bloody tunic. "Tell me you do."

"I do."

He relaxed his grip. "I love you so, my golden one. It has been a privilege to care for you."

"I love you too, Papa." She said softly as she watched him smile faintly one last time before the light drained from his sparkling yellow eyes and the hand in hers went limp. When he was gone, Elrue cried out a long animalistic roar of anguish. This seemed to rouse the Shadow she'd cold-cocked with her dagger.

Stealing to him, she slit his throat mercilessly before proceeding to the first man she had struck in the neck and proceeded to split it open. The blonde checked the two Emiluin had killed and found that they were, indeed, dead. She then went to the Shadow she had pummeled into unconsciousness to find that he too was deceased. Surprised, but glad she didn't have to slit another throat, she looked about her wrecked home.


	5. Chapter 5

Tears threatened her eyes once more, but she stifled them down and went to the pump to wash before heading out the door to hitch the cart to Fury, their mare, so that she could take her father's body into the valley and destroy it.

The woman drove the cart back to the house and unhitched the horse before stumbling tiredly inside. The fire in the valley was burning hot; Elrue doubted whether there would be much of her father left to hide. As this thought crossed her mind, there was a gagging sensation in the back of her throat and the woman did just make it back out the door before vomiting onto the ground.

She fell to her hands and knees and heaved again as Fury stamped nervously nearby; obviously upset at her master's sickness. When Elrue had emptied her stomach, she lay in the dirt for a moment before rolling over, washing her mouth out in the water bucket, and then heading back inside. She had to do as her father said. She had to go to Skyrim to seek out her mother.

Elrue pushed the bed over and dug around on the floorboards until she found the loose one. It popped out rather easily and she pulled out the bag of goods. Opening the small leather drawstring pouch, she rattled it and found well over 25,000 Septims. There were also two journals and a folded map of Tamriel. Looking closely, the blonde found this was no ordinary map. It had all manner of symbols and coded letters on it. She frowned, but tucked all of these things into the rucksack that hung at the door along with a few loaves of bread and some apples.

The woman then went to inspect the bodies of the would-be assassins in her home. She riffled through their pockets and took their valuables without so much as a twinge of guilt. She relieved them of their arrows and jewelry before coming across a folded piece of paper in the pocket of the leader.

Opening it, she read:

 _Spare no expense or tactic in finding them. I want the changling girl brought directly to me. Do what you will with the Altmer man, killing him may be simplest, but bring the girl in alive. Her mother has become personally involved._

 _-L_

Elrue folded the letter up and put it, too, in the rucksack as numbness stole over her. Her mother had orchestrated this? Newnele ordered this? That was the only thing the letter could mean. That her mother had sent out this bounty to kill Emiluin and force Elrue to accept her life. The blonde stood as anger raged through her body. This would not stand. She would go to Skyrim and find her Newnele. She would kill her.

She pulled her father's glass dagger from the chest of the Shadow, took the trusty hunting bow from the peg by the door, and threw the rucksack over her shoulder. Elrue glanced around the cottage sadly and then squared her shoulders, stepped out into the night, and didn't look back.

The fire was burning slowly and so the blonde put out her hands and used her magick to hurry the process forward. After a few minutes, all was burned to ash and she turned her frost magick onto the pile to cool it off until it was merely smouldering. Stepping forward, the blonde nudged the ash with her boot and found no large or obvious pieces of her father left. With tears in her eyes, Elrue leaned down, took a handful of ash and dropped it down into a small glass bottle which she then corked and sealed with wax. She placed the bottle in her bag and turned to the mare.

Fury dipped her head and the blonde pressed her forehead between the mare's eyes; neither moved for several minutes. "It's just us." The woman said finally and looked at the sorrel mare with her burned auburn points. "We're going to Skyrim."


	6. Chapter 6

"Almost there, girl." Elrue urged Fury up on the ridge. As they crested the hill, the woman took out her map. "This is it; this is Skyrim, Fury." She said as she surveyed the mountains. "Now, it looks like the closest town is Falkreath-" She began as a dozen men dressed in blue and fur burst out of the bushes to her right.

They stopped and looked at her as she looked at them. There was a large one in front who wore an amulet of Talos and seemed to have the richest furs of the lot. "What do we have here?" He asked with an unfriendly smile.

"Looks like one of those damned elves." A man to his left said.

"Crossing the border, eh?" The first man chuckled. "What business do you have in Skyrim, elf?"

Elrue straightened her face into a neutral expression and tried to seem unconcerned. "My business is my business." She said coolly and the man chuckled.

"You've got gall, I'll give you that." He looked around. "You should join us if you're ever in Windhelm. The Stormcloaks need a few calm warriors to temper all the hot heads."

"I'm not interested." She said with the same cool tone and proceeded to lead her horse past them. Suddenly, however, the bushes on the other side erupted and out surged a group of men in red and leather armor. "What in Oblivion?!-" She began but was suddenly drug from Fury's back by a man in red. Out of instinct, the woman reached up and slapped the mare's backside. "Run!" She shouted to the horse. Fury took off with the rucksack, the gold, and Emiluin's dagger.

Around her, battle commenced and it seemed the Imperial Legion outnumbered the Stormcloaks two to one. Elrue forced herself to stay completely still as the fighting raged. She tried to reason with the man who had her by the collar. "I'm not a Stormcloak."

"You were talking with them."

"I'm a peddler."

"My ass, you are." The man said. "You look like a thief or something. Meeting with Ulfric out along the border? Suspicious."

"I wasn't meeting them." She argued. "We just sort of came across one another."

"Legate!" The man called out to a man in red and silver leather armor. "This elf says she's not with the Stormcloaks."

"So did that horse thief we caught half a mile back. Looks to me like the elf and he were supposed to meet Ulfric out here; some sort of plot against the Empire, I'm sure."

"You've got it wrong-" The blonde began, but the Legate backhanded her with a steel gauntlet and Elrue blacked out.

When she came to, her hands were bound and she was sitting stiffly on a wooden bench which rolled beneath her. She arose in panic and a calm voice across from her spoke.

"Easy, easy there." The man said. "You walked into that ambush."

"By the gods…" Elrue shook her pounding head; she could feel her face and eye swelling. It didn't feel as though anything were broken, but by the look of things, a broken jaw would be the least of her worries.


	7. Chapter 7

The man next to her was fidgeting. "Damn you Stormcloaks and your rebellion!" The man said; terror etched in every line of his face.

"Calm down, horse thief. No use complaining now; Sovngarde awaits."

"But I'm not with you, you have to tell them."

"You think they will take their word for it?" The blonde asked bitterly. "No, our only hope is to get off this cart before-"

"Pipe down back there!" The soldier driving the wagon barked as they approached a fort.

"This is Helgen." The blonde man who had spoken first said. "I used to be sweet on a girl here."

Elrue heard two people arguing and turned to find a man on a horse arguing with a familiar High Elf. The blonde's eyes widened and she slouched down in her seat; hoping the Altmer wouldn't recognize her. However, it seemed the woman was preoccupied as she argued with, what seemed to be, the General to release the prisoners to her directly.

Then they were inside the gates of Helgen and suddenly they were lined up in front of the headsman's block. The horse thief tried to run for it and was slaughtered in the street by readied archers and then suddenly, a soldier was asking her for her name. Elrue balked. It wouldn't do to use her real name in the slim chance that she got out of this situation alive.

"Tawny." She said as her father's voice echoed in her mind. Had he not always called her his golden one?

"You're a long way from the Summerset Isles." The soldier nodded with kind eyes and then turned to the woman at his side. "Captain, she's not on the list."

"It doesn't matter; send her to the block."

"Sorry, Tawny. We'll make sure your remains are sent back to the Isles."

"Don't bother." The woman choked out as she was forced to line up with the other soldiers.

Elrue's mind raced as she considered how best to get out of the situation. If she went to the block like she was supposed to and then tackled the headsman, she might could use him as a shield until she could get out of the gate. It was a long shot, but she knew she was dead anyway. Suddenly, a sound like no other split the air and everyone, Stormcloak and Legionnaire alike, looked skyward.

However, as the woman watched the first soldier's head drop into the basket, all thought left her mind and she was left with the sensation of blind panic. "Next, the half-elf in the rags!" A voice called out and she felt herself being forced forward.

She looked at the headsman before she was forced to her knees. The blood at the block soaked through the rags and she could feel the hot stickiness sinking into her skin. That strange roaring sound rent the sky again as she was forced to press her cheek against the rough and wet stump of wood.

As she was looking skyward at the hooded man, however, something quite without precedent occurred. A black dragon came circling around and landed on the tower of Helgen. His contact with the stone caused a heavy impact which threw the headsman to the ground. The great beast opened his mouth and blasted forth a power which threw the blonde from the block. The sound of the force echoed in her head as she pushed herself to her feet. Her hands were still bound, but she could run.

The blonde Stormcloak who had spoken to her on the cart was suddenly before her. "Alright? This way!" He shouted. Elrue followed him through a stone archway where a few Stormcloaks and Ulfric himself were taking refuge.

"A dragon? I thought they were legend."

"Legends don't burn down villages." Ulfric turned to the blonde. "Lucky it came along when it did, eh, elf?" Elrue stood stoic and silent and the man frowned at her for a moment. "Have we met?"

"We met at the border, you idiot." She said coldly.

"I remember that!" He barked and started forward. "I meant before that."

"No, Jarl Ulfric, we haven't." She said and turned her head to the wounded. "We need to get out of here."

"Up through the tower." The blonde man said. He started up the steps with the blonde hot on his heels, but the wall on the first landing imploded and a burst of fire set the stone baking. "Look!" He pointed downward. "Through there, we'll catch up."

The woman leapt down and rolled to her feet before swinging lithely to the first floor of the home and running out into the chaos and dust of the dragon's carnage. The soldier who had taken her name down spotted her. "Still alive? Stick close to me if you want to stay that way." The blonde did as she was told as he led them through the town toward the keep.

When they got to the entrance, they met with Ulfric and the blonde Nord. "We're escaping, Hadvar." The man spoke to the Imperial soldier. "You can't stop us this time."

"Fine, I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde!" The soldier called Hadvar cursed them. "Into the keep!" He bellowed to Elrue.

"With us, girl!" The Nord in blue motioned, but the young woman looked at Ulfric who sneered and then shook her head and headed into the keep with Hadvar.


	8. Chapter 8

Once there, he took off her binds and bid her to look around for armor and for a weapon. She changed into Imperial armor and took down an axe to swing it around. Her father had been right; the motion was not totally different from that of the scythe.

"Have you ever used that before?"

"I was raised on a farm." She answered stiffly. "I'm used to farm tools."

"Magick?"

"Some."

"You'll need it most likely. We'll probably encounter Stormcloaks on our way to safety."

"Noted." She nodded to him to lead.

Four quick scuffles later and the woman was covered in blood and had picked up a bow and some arrows which she proceeded to mow down the blue sported soldiers with. The man turned to her. "You're quite a good shot. Did you learn that on the farm?"

"Got to hunt to eat." She nodded to him and he looked at her closely for a moment before flashing a brief smile.

"Aye, my friend, that you do."

They fought Frost Spiders and surprised a bear. Her father had been right about sneaking up on predators too; Elrue was more than capable. By the time they made it out of the cave, the blonde was feeling a bit more capable than she had before.

The sunlight was startling in comparison to the dimness of the cave. However, as they made it out, the black dragon swooped overhead and she and the soldier dropped to a crouch behind a boulder. "It's headed away from here." She said softly.

"Was that really a dragon?" The man said with a small, nervous chuckle.

"I don't know what else it could have been." The woman answered him. "Don't you Nords have some folklore about them?"

He looked at her a moment as if trying to gauge her sincerity before speaking. "The black dragon is supposed to be the bringer of the endtimes."

There was a pregnant silence. "Like the end of the world?"

"Yes."

"Heavy." She sighed.

"Anyway." The man turned back and pointed North. "Riverwood is just that way. My uncle is the blacksmith there. Alvor's his name; he'll give you food and rest. Decent man, my uncle." He then turned and stuck out his hand. "It was nice to fight beside you, Finch."

"And you, Hadvar." She took his calloused hand and then struck off in the direction of Riverwood.

Elrue's thoughts turned to Fury and where she might be. She hoped the animal was safe and had not been hurt by the dragon or wounded by the rocky terrain of Skyrim. The woman felt a twinge in her heart at the thought of losing the mare who she had known for fifteen years. But she shook these thoughts away and trudged forward.

As it turned out, Alvor was a decent man who gave her rest and refuge. His only request was that she inform Whiterun of the dragon attacks. The blonde consented, hoping that it wouldn't take long and that she could get back on the trail of her mother; she really wanted to get this business of revenge over with.


	9. Chapter 9

_A note. A godsdamned note!_ The woman raged internally as she rode Fury into Riverwood. The mare had found her as she'd been leaving Whiterun to go to Bleak Falls Barrow. It hadn't been a moment too soon either. As she'd already discovered, the wilds of Skyrim were treacherous and having Fury made them less so.

The horse was little comfort to her now, however. She'd been in Skyrim a mere month and she'd fought draugr, killed a dragon, and conferenced with bearded men on the highest fucking peak in the frozen wasteland and all she had to show for it thus far was a note. Being Dragonborn had taken her by surprise. Elrue still wasn't even sure she knew what that meant exactly, but she'd gone into that crypt to retrieve the horn of some dead hero and found a note instead. This revenge trip was not going as planned.

How it was that she had gotten roped into the saving-Tamriel-from-the-dragon-thing was beyond her. If this renting the attic room in Riverwood didn't check out, she was going to give up and go back to hunting down Newnele. She wasn't much fussed with the end of the world so long as she could have her mother's blood on her blade.

She stepped into the inn and approached a woman in a blue dress to request the attic room.

"Attic room? We don't have an attic room." The older woman blinked.

"Oh."

"But I can rent you one on the ground floor."

"Great." Elrue sighed and handed her the gold thinking that she might as well take a nap before heading back to tell the Greybeards the horn was gone for good. She followed the woman who led her into the room and then shut the door behind her.

"So it's you?" The woman asked.

"Me?" The blonde frowned as the cogs turned in her head. "Wait, you took the horn?" She eyed the woman's dress.

"Surprised?" The innkeeper chuckled. "I've been doing this a long time; gotten good at the harmless innkeeper routine."

"You were the one talking to the court wizard when I dropped off the Dragonstone."

"That was me. Look, I have information about these dragons, follow me if you want to learn more." With this, she turned on her heel and headed out of the room. She hardly paused at the bar to bark an order at the keep before pushing into another room.

Elrue hesitated. Hadn't her father told her not to trust anyone? Eventually, the woman gave into her curiosity and followed the woman into the room to watch as she slid the back panel of a wardrobe aside and stepped down onto a set of stairs. With a hand wrapped around the hilt of the glass dagger on her hip, Elrue followed.

Once she stood across the table with the woman, the innkeeper handed her the horn. Elrue took it and looked at her. "So who are you?"

"Delphine." The woman answered. "I am the last of an organization known as the Blades. Have you heard of them?"

"Weren't they the Emperor's personal guard?"

"Yes." The woman nodded. "I'm impressed."

"My father felt that history is important."

"I see." Delphine looked at her with understanding eyes. "What many people don't know is that before the Blades were bodyguards, we were dragon hunters."

"So there really used to be dragons?"

"It looks like it. And it looks like you're the only one who can keep them dead."

There was a tick of silence as Elrue narrowed her eyes at the woman. She felt that that ex-Blade, if that was actually what she was, was stringing her along. "What do you mean?"

Delphine pushed a black book across the desk at her. There was a silver emblem on the front that the blonde recognized. "The Dragonborn has dragon blood. You are their kin. When they die, you absorb their souls; without their souls they cannot return."

"But how are they returning in the first place?"

"That's the million Septim question." Delphine said. "But before we go any further or I give you any more information, I need to know that you actually are the Dragonborn; that you can absorb a dragon's soul."

"I can."

"You'll understand if I need more than your word."

"The Greybeards think I am."

The older woman let out a haughty bark of laughter. "The Greybeards are ancient men who live secluded in a mountain-top fortress. Forgive me if I think they are a little out of touch."

Elrue thought for a moment. "Before I consent to proving this to you, I need to know what I get out of it." This caused the woman to blink. "I mean, I have the horn. I can return to the Greybeards and you'll never see me again. I never wanted to get mixed up in all of this anyway."

Delphine looked at her shrewdly. "What do you want?"

"What I came here for." It was time for the half-elf to string the Breton along.

"I gave you the horn-"

"Not Riverwood." The blonde cut her off. "Skyrim."

"Okay…" The older woman said slowly. "What is that?"

"Revenge." Elrue said quietly. "I came here seeking...the person who killed my father. She's a high ranking official within the Thalmor."

"And you need help getting access to this person?"

"I can get access. I just need to know where she is."

Delphine considered this for a moment as her eyes scanned the woman's face; seemingly for a weakness. "Do these missions. Help me save Tamriel from the dragon threat and I'll help you with your revenge."


	10. Chapter 10

"You want me to infiltrate the Thalmor Embassy as a guest?" Elrue sat across from Delphine. It was early in the morning, before the sun had risen, and they were sitting in the inn. There was one bearded patron slumped in a chair by the fire, but he was unconscious from mead.

The older woman glanced around and then nodded. "Is that a problem, Tawny?"

The blonde hesitated. Delphine had won her respect and her trust and so the half-elf felt that she could be honest with her. "It might be."

Delphine sat back. "I knew it. You're on the run or something, aren't you? You don't see many elf changelings and certainly not one who is half-Nord and half-Altmer."

Elrue picked the dirt from under her nails. "Look, there are people in the Embassy that might recognize me." She glanced up into the woman's curious eyes.

"Well, girl, spit it out."

The young woman looked back up into the work-lined face of the woman before her and opened her mouth. Everything came tumbling out. "I grew up on a farm in Sunhold with who I thought was my father. Turns out, my actual father was a Nord from Skyrim and my mother a Thalmor officer."

"That sounds complicated."

"More than you could imagine." Elrue sighed. "One night, two months ago, bounty hunters came to our farm. Their instruction was to kill my father and capture me. It seems my biological mother was involved."

"She ordered them to capture you?"

"It seems that way."

"Hmm…" Delphine hummed thoughtfully, but did not share her musings. Instead she leaned forward and prompted the young woman to continue. "So? What happened?"

"We fought them off; killed them. But they killed my Papa." At this point, Elrue's strong voice faltered and she looked down as tears threatened to spill over. A rough, sturdy hand reached across the table and covered hers. It was not a tender gesture, but it was comforting. The blonde took a deep breath. "I rode to Skyrim in search of my mother; in search of revenge. When I crossed the border, I walked into a skirmish between the Stormcloaks and the Legion."

"Shit."

"Yeah." Elrue wiped her eyes and Delphine released her hand. "Met Ulfric in the flesh." She laughed. "He's an ass."

"He is." The older woman smiled slightly.

"Anyway, they captured us and took us to Helgen and just as I was on the chopping block, about to be executed, that black dragon, the one who raised the others-"

"Alduin."

"Yeah, he came in and burned Helgen to the ground."

"I heard. Been a lot of news and gossip going around about that. Funny how that dragon saved your life and you're the one destined to destroy him."

This thought hit Elrue hard and she sat silent for a moment. "I hadn't thought about that."

"Almost like it's your destiny."

The blonde laughed. "I don't believe in destiny."

"That doesn't mean you don't have one."

The inn was quiet except for the crackling fire and the drunk snoring in the chair beside it. "I have a hard time with that." Elrue shook her head. "That means it was destiny for my father to die."

Delphine looked at her a long moment. "I understand that." She then looked around to the window where the sun was barely beginning to creep in. "So, what's your mother's name?"

"Newnele Olana."

"And she works for the Thalmor?"

"Yes."

"And you know she's in Skyrim?"

"I saw her." The blonde admitted as she remembered Helgen.

"Where?" Delphine asked sharply.

"As I was being led into Helgen to be executed. She was with a group of Altmer arguing with the Legion. They wanted him to give them the Stormcloaks."

"Hmmm…"

"I couldn't do anything dressed in rags with my hands bound."

Delphine nodded as though this were pragmatic. "Do you think she's looking for you?"

Elrue had asked herself the same question every time she laid her head down. "I'm sure someone probably is. They've found the dead bounty hunters by now, but when my father died, he made me promise to get rid of his body."

"So they would think you escaped together." The older woman nodded. "Smart man, your father."

The blonde nodded and took a deep breath. "If I go into the Embassy as a guest, it's possible my cover won't stick. That it will blow wide open if I come face to face with her or someone who knows me. Now, if I could infiltrate it through a tunnel or-"

"That's impossible." Delphine cut her off.

"I'm very sneaky."

"I know." The woman said pointedly. "But there are protective wards all over every square inch of that fortress."

"I'm good at magick, too."

"I know, Tawny." With a sigh, Delphine leaned back and drug a hand down her face. "But this is the full power of the Thalmor and the Legion. You're one person, girl. No matter how talented you are, _you're one person_."

The blonde conceded this point. "That's true, but I can't show my face there."

The older woman looked around and then paused. "So we don't show your face. You wear a disguise."

"It needs to be one hell of a disguise." Elrue laughed.

"We'll dress you like a Dark Elf; paint you gray and give you a cloak. If you don't look Altmer….besides," Delphine looked at her. "They won't be expecting a hunted woman to walk into the Embassy anyway."

Elrue considered this and found that the reasoning was pretty solid. "That's a good point."

"But, Tawny," Delphine leaned back up and put a rough hand on her arm. "I have to know that you won't jeopardize the mission if you see her; your mother. This isn't about you right now; this is about finding out what the Thalmor know so that we can stop these dragon attacks."

"I know."

"Can you handle this?"

Elrue looked into the blue eyes. "I can handle this."


	11. Chapter 11

The young changeling looked into the mirror that Delphine held up just outside of Solitude. "Wow."

"You look like a dark elf." Elrue touched her hair which had been temporarily dyed a deep chestnut color and touched her face tentatively. "The paint shouldn't come off for the first hour or so, but after that, the oil in your skin will work it out."

"Or the sweat." The disguised woman murmured. "Damn, I don't recognize myself."

"Good. No one else will either. Here." Putting the mirror down, Delphine handed her a set of rich mage's robes. "If anyone asks, and they will, you're a traveling mage from the College at Winterhold; doing research on the sociopolitical implications of the design of flatware obtained from Dwemer ruins."

"Okay…"

"No one will want to hear about that." The older woman said.

"Oh, right." Elrue nodded and stripped down in the stable behind a few bales of hay. She pulled on the robes and arranged her dyed hair so that it tumbled artfully out from under the hood. "How do I look?" She turned to the woman.

"Like a Dunmer mage." The woman answered steadily. "Now, the rouge around your eyes will help them seem more red than gold, but try not to make direct eye contact with anyone. And remember, once you're there, make contact with Malborn. He'll be expecting your disguise, but don't forget to give him the passphrase or he'll think something is wrong."

"Got it."

"And, Tawny, this is about getting in and getting out. It's information only." There was a note of warning in the woman's voice and a half-glare in her sharp eyes. "Kill whoever gets in your way, but don't attempt to take on the entire establishment."

"Understood."

"And if you see your mother…" The older woman hesitated. "Avoid getting too close. You don't give away much, but you have a habit of clenching your jaw. Keep your distance and she'll hopefully be none the wiser."

XXX

Elrue handed the Thalmor guard her invitation as the man behind her droned on obnoxiously about needing a drink. The soldier welcomed her and pointed her toward the door. _So far, so good._ The blonde thought to herself as she entered and took in her surroundings. Her forward progress was impeded however, by an unwelcome sight: her mother.

The young woman felt her stomach flip and her palms go clammy. The tall, Altmer dressed in rich, Thalmor robes approached her with a haughty look. She'd never seen the woman's face so cold. Elrue forced her face into a neutral expression as the elf opened her mouth.

"I am Elenwen, I don't believe we've met."

Elrue puzzled at the name. _Elenwen?_ Pushing this aside, she looked around the room rather than make eye contact with the figure of all of her disgust and rage. "I've heard so much about you." She smiled coolly.

"All good I trust." The mer responded and the sound of the familiar voice gave her a slight shiver. "But you have me at a disadvantage; I don't know who you are-"

"Ambassador." A voice called, cutting the Altmer off.

"What is it Malborn?"

"We've run out of Colovian brandy; do I have your permission to-"

Elenwen moved toward the wood elf and spoke over him haughtily. "I told you not to bother me with such trifles." She berated him as Elrue slipped around her; heart hammering wildly.

She receded into a corner where a dark haired woman was frowning. She glanced at the disguised half-Altmer with sharp eyes and watched her for a second longer than was polite. Elrue felt obligated to speak to her. "Great party, right?" She asked as she willed her heart to settle down and the sweat on her brow to cool. It would not do to lose her disguise in the middle of the room.

"The Ambassador spares no expense."

"So you've been here before? It's my first time."

"Clearly." The woman said slowly and then came nearer the younger woman to speak softly into her ear. "I don't know who you are, but if you don't want your cover blown, you should avoid me for the rest of the party."

Elrue was stunned, but she gave a small chuckle as she scanned the room. "Of course, it was nice to see you again."

The dark-haired woman gave her a nod and moved off as the blonde found that her mother was standing in the corner in conversation with a blonde man with an arrogant smirk. Satisfied that she was engaged in the conversation, Elrue worked her way toward Malborn. "The decor in this room reminds me of a laboratory I excavated once." She said. "Dwemer studies you know-"

"Yes, I'm sure it's fascinating-" Malborn dismissed

"But the best part is that I found an extensive collection of gilded flatware."

At this phrase, the mer gave a start and looked at her sharply. "Really?" He looked around then said out of the side of his mouth. "Make a distraction and meet me back here." He reached down and grabbed a bottle from under the cabinet arbitrarily. "Here you go."

"Thank you." She nodded blandly and held it in her hand. Surveying the room, the blonde weighed her options. She had to steer clear of the black-haired woman who was currently glancing her way. Elrue didn't much like the look of the arrogant man either and so she continued to survey the room for a few seconds. It looked as though her only real option seemed to be the drunk who seemed to have so much to say. Perhaps, if she gave him a drink…

Making up her mind, the blonde started forward and sat down next to the man. "You look thirsty." Elrue said, handing him the drink.

His eyes lit up. "Just what I needed!" He clapped her on the back and slurred. "Thank you! If you ever need anything do not hesitate to ask."

She watched as he struggled with the cork. He finally opened it and took a long swig of the beverage before letting out a lusty sigh. "Actually…" She said hesitantly and the man turned her way. "There is something you could do."

"Yes?"

"You see, a dear friend of mine is here and she is always trying to one-up me with pranks…"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Cause a scene." She winked and smiled slowly.


	12. Chapter 12

The man mirrored her expression and took another gulp of his drink. "You asked the right guy."

"I'm sure I did."

"Sit back and watch the master." He stood a bit unsteadily and addressed the room loudly. "I have something to say!"

There were several groans and a general air of unease. It seemed she had chosen the right fool for the job. Elrue stood as well and quietly backed out of the way. Soon all eyes, even those of the shrewd woman she'd met earlier, were on the man.

She slipped into the shadows near the bar as Malborn whispered to her. "Great, let's go before anyone notices." He led her through a back door. "Hopefully no one saw us slip out. The list of things Delphine sent me are in the larder." The wood elf negotiated their way past an inquisitive Khajiit and pointed to the chest in the corner.

Elrue rifled through the contents of the chest and was unimpressed. "10 arrows?" She scoffed. "Two lockpicks." The changling felt around in the bottom some more. "What about armor? Not even so much as a leather cuirass?"

"There are boots and gauntlets." He said defensively. "Look, it's not like it was easy getting this shit in here with no one noticing-"

"Alright, alright." She grumbled. She adjusted the quiver onto her back and fastened the extra buckle on her boots before securing the steel dagger and hunting bow. She hoped fervently that she didn't have to come close-up with anyone. Turning back to him, her attitude softened at the worried expression on his face. "You've risked a lot. Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet." He said softly. "Now, hurry. I have to lock the door behind you and get back before they notice me gone."

The woman pulled her hair back and braided it quickly down her back before stepping into the hallway and crouching nearby a door. There were a couple of Thalmor guards discussing the mages unfavorably, but after their little joke, they went back to their patrols and she was able to slip past them and through the lobby without being noticed. There was a door on the other side and she halted with a hand on the cold metal.

Thinking back on the map Delphine had forced her to memorize, the blonde decided this must lead to the courtyard. She had to cross the courtyard to reach the private chambers of the Thalmor officials. This, she knew, would be where the information they needed was housed. Taking a breath, Elrue pushed the door open and slipped stealthily into the courtyard.

Creeping below the level of the wall around a fortress-style walkway, she could hear a few pairs of boots in the crunch of the ever present snow. The blonde snuck a peek over the wall and then dropped back down quickly. In her brief glance, she'd made out two guards and a mage. The guards were pacing while the mage had his back turned.

Knowing she only had one chance to make it across the courtyard without alerting the entire embassy of her arrival, Elrue took out her dagger and crept forward silently. The guard was pacing away from her and she came up behind him, slit his throat and lowered him slowly to the ground. She then dropped beneath the wall once again to wait for a noise of alarm. None came.

Raising her head above the wall, she glanced around to see the mage still standing with his back turned to her and the other guard marching around dutifully. Now, she had a decision to make. Take out the other two or proceed into the necessary building? She'd rather not kill more than was needed, however, if she didn't and they noticed the other guard's body, they might come searching for her anyway. What was the price of a life? She wondered to herself as she glanced down to the Altmer dead at her feet.

She looked into his cold, yellow eyes and realized they probably looked like siblings. Shaking her head against this thought, Elrue decided to trudge forward quickly without killing the other two guards. Hoping this would give her at least a sixty second margin of time, the blonde let herself into the Ambassador's quarters.

Once inside, she nearly walked into a Thalmor guard. Heart leaping in her throat, the woman rolled to her right and scuttled quickly behind a bar as the guard paced away from her; making her rounds and none the wiser. Once she settled her pulse, Elrue became aware of two men talking. She gathered that there was a prisoner they were torturing in the chambers below and vowed that she would do what she could for this man if she got the chance.

The argument ended and one of the men exited the building. Seeing him do so made the woman glad she had left two of the courtyard guards alive; it would be conspicuous if it were empty. The other man seemed to slip through a door that was inside the office and the blonde crept forward to search it. She opened the desk and, finding nothing useful, riffled through the papers scattered across it.

"Damn." She cursed quietly as her eyes considered the door through which the other man had disappeared. The woman felt, instinctively that she should follow the man; that he would have the information she needed. She also considered that they might keep sensitive files below in the torture chamber.

Elrue made up her mind, opened the door, and made her way, shadow-like, down the stairs. She came upon another door and attempted to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Taking out her lock-picking set, and cursing her two picks, she began working on the door. It was a tricky one, however and was sweating bullets when the first pick broke. She paused and sat back on her heels. "Damn." She mumbled again and recalled the lessons Delphine had been giving her.

Cracking her knuckles and rolling out the vertebra in her neck, Elrue took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She then placed an ear close to the lock, closed her eyes, and began again. Trying to visualize the tumblers in her mind, the blonde worked on the lock gently and coaxingly until she heard the lock release. "Yes." She celebrated softly and swung the door open as she wiped sweat from her brow. Gray paint came off on her hand and she realized whoever she met now would have to die if she wanted to keep her identity safe.

With regret, she wiped the sweat from under her eyes as well and proceeded forward.

"I've already told you everything I know, I swear." An anguished voice was saying.

"Well, we're going to hear it again." A voice answered scathingly.

Elrue found herself on an upper floor and she snuck forward to peer over the banister. There was the Thalmor mage sitting at a desk and a Thalmor guard inside a cell punching a man who was hung by his wrists. The sound of the guard's fists on the man's flesh was more than she could take, but she hung back because she knew she needed to know what was said.

"Now, start again."

"There's an old man living in the Ratway Warrens under Riften. He might be your guy, but I don't know." The tortured man panted.

"Continue."

"That's all I know!" He shouted desperately and the sound of a fist connecting with flesh was heard, followed by a grunt from the man. "No more!"

"Just answer our questions-" The Thalmor mage began, but Elrue, who had taken all she could, fired an arrow into his eye and his body whipped back and then slumped forward and slid out of the seat.

The guard, who did not realize immediately what had happened, looked toward the mage and then, seeing that he was on the floor, stepped out of the cell and directly into the blonde's line of fire. The arrow hit her in the side, between her armor plates, and she went down to her knees.

Elrue came down the stairs, unsheathing her dagger, and finished the guard off. She then turned to the man hanging in the cell. He was watching her closely. The blonde could tell that he wasn't sure if she would do the same to him.

"I've already told them everything." He said warily.

"I'm not here to torture you." She sheathed her dagger and hastened forward to unlatch the irons that had him hostage. The man dropped to the ground and rubbed his wrists.

"Thank you." He looked up at her. "Are you with the Guild?"

"No."

"Didn't think so." He stood. "When we get captured, they usually let us rot…" He looked at her sideways and down at the body outside the cell. "But if you're not with the Guild, why would you do this?" She looked at him and blinked her large, golden eyes slowly. A few seconds of silence elapsed. "Alright, keep your secrets." He looked around. "This way, I've seen them dispose of bodies this way."

"You go ahead, I came here for something specific." She motioned for him to go on before searching the Thalmor bodies. She took a key that she felt she might need and then proceeded to rifle through the documents on the table and in the chest. Finding what she was looking for in a small, leather-bound journal, the woman turned to go when the sound of the door opening behind her caused her to start and look up.

Two guards entered on the balcony above with Malborn between them. "We have discovered your little plot-" One began, but did not finish because Elrue put an arrow in her neck. That guard grabbed her throat and clawed at her airway before dropping back. To his credit, the Wood Elf took the opportunity to sucker punch the other Thalmor in the face.

It gave Elrue a few extra seconds to put an arrow in him as well. Malborn ducked out of the way as the guard swung his sword wildly and missed. The blonde put another arrow into the guard and he finally dropped down. "Finish him!" She called to the stunned man.

"What?"

"Finish him off so he can't tell anyone what happened."

Malborn took the elven dagger from the guard and swiped it across his throat. He was standing in just the right spot that he took the arterial spray directly in his face. He shook his head and sputtered, but wiped his eyes on his sleeve and hurried down the stairs. "I hope that was worth it." He told her. "I'll probably be hunted the rest of my life."

"It's better than being dead."

"Is it?" The man asked.

"If you prefer, I could kill you now." She asked drolly.

The Wood Elf opened his mouth to argue, but then slacked. "I didn't mean to seem ungrateful-" He began, but a voice behind them caused them to turn.

"Touching, this reunion, but don't you think we should get out of here?" The man who had been tortured poked his head around the wall.

"Right." Elrue hurried forward and unlocked the trap door with the key she'd taken from the mage.

On the other side, a Frost Troll was waiting, but the blonde dispatched him without taking much damage. When she stepped out into the light from the cave, Malborn had already gone, but the ragged man waited on her.

"Thank you." He said and stuck out his hand. "How can I repay you?"

"Don't mention it." She wiped paint out of her eyes. "Really, don't tell anyone I helped you. Better if I don't exist."

The man looked at her uncertainly and then nodded. "I'm Etienne, by the way. If you ever need a friendly face in Riften, look me up." She nodded, but remained impassive. "Well, good luck with your secret mission." He turned to go, but she stopped him.

"Here. No use wandering around unarmed." She handed him an extra dagger she'd picked up in the Embassy.

He smiled again, saluted her with the weapon, and then was traveling swiftly through the underbrush. Elrue turned to the sun, oriented herself and then struck off in the direction of Riverwood.


	13. Chapter 13

Just outside of town, the blonde stopped to wash off the rest of the paint from her face, neck, and hands. The rest of her would have to wait until she reported in. Delphine was please to see her even if she acted casual about it.

"So you made it out alive, then?" The older woman asked as soon as Elrue slid the wardrobe panel open.

"Seems that way."

"And Malborn?"

"Probably halfway to the border by now." The blonde sat down heavily in a chair. "You have the rest of my stuff?"

"In that chest." Delphine pointed. "And the information?"

"The Thalmor have no fucking clue what's going on."

"Really?" The older woman leaned over the table and brooded. "I find that hard to believe."

"So do I. All I got was that there's a guy they're looking for; they think he's in Riften." Elrue took out the journal and held it up to the woman.

"What guy?"

"Esbern, or something. But I don't-"

"Esbern?!" Delphine strode over and snatched the book from her hands. "He's alive?"

"Umm, well, they seem to think so."

"Esbern is the reason I know what I know about the dragons. He was the Blades archivist and always going on about the end of the world. We all thought he was a little bit...well, crazy."

"Not so crazy now, is he?" The blonde laughed a bit.

"No, now he is valuable." Delphine mused. "You have to get to Riften; find Esbern."

"Me?" Elrue frowned. "Why don't you go? He's your friend. He won't trust me anyway."

"If I show up in Riften, the Thalmor will arrest me on sight."

"And what about me?"

"They don't know you, remember? They will be looking for a Dark Elf." The older woman looked up from where she had been perusing the journal. "Which reminds me, did the disguise work?"

"Yes." Elrue suddenly became quiet as she remembered coming face to face with her mother.

The older woman noticed the change and shut the book to perch on the desk and look at the half-elf. "You saw someone you know, didn't you?"

"I saw her, Delphine."

"Your mother?"

"Yes, but…" She hesitated.

"But what?"

"But she called herself something else."

"What do you mean?"

"I knew her as my aunt. Her name, to me, was Newnele, but when she introduced herself-"

"She introduced herself?" Delphine asked suddenly. "You came face-to-face, one-on-one with her?" Elrue nodded. "I'm impressed, girl." The older woman then nodded for her to continue.

"Anyway, she introduced herself as Elenwen-"

"Elenwen!?" Delphine interrupted again and the younger woman gave her an exasperated face. "I'm sorry, but she's the highest ranking Thalmor official in Skyrim right now. She's very important and has earned a reputation as being a stone-cold elf."

"She's a murderous bitch." The blonde said in an off-hand voice.

Delphine blinked. "That may be, but the fact remains that you are in more peril than you know. If your mother _is_ Elenwen and she _is_ looking for you...well…" The woman trailed off. "You need to be extremely careful that you do not come into contact with any other Thalmor representatives."

"I can't hide in seclusion, Delphine, I have to finish this dragon business so that I can get around to killing her."

"I don't mean for you to hide and I don't even mean for you to be cautious." The older woman looked at her sharply.

"Then what is your point?"

"My point is that your mother is the single most powerful person in Skyrim at this moment. Even General Tullius has to bow to her wishes most of the time. This is the woman you are going to try and assassinate?"

"I got close to her once, didn't I?"

"And if you had plunged your dagger into her heart right there, what would have happened?"

Elrue's lip curled. "She would have bled out at my feet before she could utter a syllable of surprise."

"Dammit, girl, no! You would have been slaughtered where you stood!" Delphine brought a fist down on the table and the books and half-empty goblet quivered. The older woman took a deep breath, but continued to frown. "There is no possible way that you could have made it out of there alive. That's even if you could have killed Elenwen-"

"You have seen me work; you know what I can do."

"I'm not questioning your abilities, but you don't know her reputation. She began her career as a battle-mage and a damned good one, too. She's not a placid diplomat, Tawny, she's ruthless and cunning and very skilled."

"Get to the point."

"If you met her in open battle she would kill you." The blonde woman bared her teeth. "Now, hear me out." Delphine held up a hand. "You are very skilled and have a lot of natural talent, but you're not an elite warrior; not yet."

"So what? I need to train?"

"You need to be trained."

Elrue blinked. "What? Like I need a teacher?"

"You need a guild."

"A guild?"

"Guilds have all sorts of resources and trainers. They have knowledge; they could mentor you. For instance, the Thieves Guild could train you to sneak, to lockpick, to increase your archery accuracy…" Delphine trailed off. "And there are the Companions from Whiterun. They're not the Fighter's Guild of Cyrodiil, but they're the closest thing Skyrim has to it. They could train you in armor and weapons."

The younger woman gave this some thought. On the one hand, she felt that her revenge was worth her life. That killing her mother was the end game and if it took her life, so be it. But as Elrue considered that she might be killed in the attempt, she found that this thought was abhorrent. To be killed before she had the chance for justice? That wouldn't do.

"The Thieves Guild or the Companions, eh?"

The older woman seemed a bit relieved and jumped in immediately. "Look, you've got to go to Riften to search the Ratways anyway. My contact there is Brynolf, he'll meet you in the marketplace. He's the way to Esbern and to the Thieves Guild."

The blonde looked down and wiped her fatigued hands down her mage's robe. "Alright. I'll set out for Riften tomorrow. But right now I need some mead and some stew."

"Of course. Whatever you like, Dragonborn."

XXX

"I'm not paying a tax to enter your run-down city." Elrue said flatly.

The guards in purple looked at one another. "Don't make things messy."

"This is obviously a shake-down-" She began loudly.

"Alright, alright!" The other guard said. "We'll let you in, but don't start any trouble."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

The blonde pushed past the gate to find a strangely constructed town before her. It seemed to be double level, except the second level was lower, not higher. She started forward purposefully, but kept the cloak she wore over her light mail and jacket close about her face. She was certain that no one at the Thalmor Embassy was any wiser as to her identity, but that didn't mean someone here wouldn't recognize her.

She passed a tall athletic woman speaking with a short, somewhat mousy man and slowed to hear what they were saying.

"I'm telling you Mjoll, if you keep on like this, you could get killed."

"Then I wouldn't be doing my job, Aerin." The woman said in a strong Nord accent.

"I just would hate to see you hurt."

"I know, but the Thieves Guild is ruining this town and no one can see it-"

The blonde was still trying to listen to the conversation and almost didn't notice as a large man stepped in front of her and blocked her way. "I don't like strangers." The man said, giving her the once over. "Strangers mean trouble for the Blackbriars."

Elrue shrugged casually. "I'm just passing through. I don't even know who that is."

"The Blackbriars own this town and everything in it."

"And you're, what? Their guard dog?" She asked neutrally. "I bet you get a lot of information that way."

"Information costs money."

"I don't need information." Elrue laughed coolly. "I was just making an observation."

The man opened his mouth to reply when the nord woman who the blonde had seen earlier stepped forward. "Back off, Maul."

"Mind yourself, Lioness." The man growled back.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about." The woman said angrily. "Blackbriar lackeys intimidating every new face. What if this woman is a wealthy merchant who wants to invest-"

"Riften doesn't need investors-"

"You're right! It needs trash disposal." She eyed him pointedly and the man's pale face flushed in anger.

"One of these days, Mjoll, you're going to go too far and I'm going to finish what that Dwarven Centurion started."

It was the woman's turn to flush in anger, but she did not back down. "Any day." She snarled at his retreating back. "Any day you're ready." When Maul walked away, she turned to Elrue who had watched the interaction with fascination. "I'm sorry about that." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "Riften is not the friendliest place for outsiders."

"I get that reaction everywhere."

The nord woman laughed. "I'm Mjoll." She held out a hand and the blonde took it. "The Blackbriars and the Thieves Guild have Riften under their thumb. I'm here to try and break their rule."

Elrue decided not to mention that she was planning to join them. Rather, she gestured around. "Where does one go to get a drink around here?"

With a smile, Mjoll pointed her to the Bee and Barb. "Keerava will take care of you."

"Thanks." The changling returned her smile before stepping across the little bridge and trying to ignore whatever shady business was happening on the bench there. She was just about to press into the tavern when she heard merchant sounds and so passed on a few yards to find the market-place.

Thinking that she could sell a few of the jewelry and daggers she had pilfered from the bodies that lay in her past, the woman headed toward a likely looking stall only to be stopped by a man dressed in rich robes.

"Interested in some Falmer-blood elixer?" He grinned at her.

"No thanks, I'm trying to quit." She responded with narrowed eyes. "I'm more interested in Dwemer Flatware."

"Ah!" The man's smile broadened. "I pegged you for a collector." He glanced around casually as if about to point out a local tourist site. "You'll be a friend of the Sleeping Giant, then?"

"Had a few drinks with her, yeah."

"Well," He studied her, "You look like the sort I could use. You definitely sniffed out my little operation at the gate."

"So those vermin were yours?"

He shrugged. "Gotta stay on top however you can." The man stepped closer. "I'm Brynyolf and I've got a little job for you to do; if you're up to the task."


	14. Chapter 14

We're skipping ahead quite a bit, here. It would be too long not to. As always, I don't own anything other than my own actual character.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elrue drug the dagger across her palm and let the blood seep down onto the seal. Esbern exclaimed in delight and even the tall changeling had to admit that watching the massive, stone head fold backward was a neat effect.

He took a torch and led them up through a stone passageway and into a large, cavern like great-hall. It smelled of must and decay and secret knowledge. However, it looked oddly active; as though a band of Blades were going to come bursting forth from the barracks for dinner. The blonde didn't have much time to contemplate this, however, because Esbern was leading them up to a ornately carved wall and exclaiming at it.

Elrue leaned back against the table as Delphine and he bickered like an old married couple. "But what the hell does it mean?" She was asking in exasperation.

"Here, the Akaviri are using a shout to subdue Alduin-"

"A shout?" The older blonde groaned before turned to Elrue. "Have you ever heard of such a thing?"

The changeling shook her head. "No, there are shouts I've come across for frost and fire and disarming...but none for killing a dragon."

"It looks like you'll have to talk to the Greybeards again."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that lately."

"Thinking about what?" Delphine asked sharply.

The blonde paused and chose her words carefully. She knew how the Blade felt about the Graybeards. "That there is a vital secret they are keeping." The tall woman stood from where she'd been reclined and shrugged. "That maybe they know way more than they are saying."

"You're damned right, they are." Delphine grumbled. "Secrets that could help us. Maybe you can get it out of them since you're part of their little dragon cult."

"Maybe." Elrue made a doubtful face. "I've got to try, though, haven't I?"

The leader of the Graybeards was a dragon. Who would have guessed? The blonde rode Fury back to Riften. It looked like there was going to be a pretty serious journey this time and she needed to collect some things and make some money before she could proceed.

As she came to the stables and dismounted, she handed the horse's reins off to a stable boy and threw him a few septims before turning to Fury. "Rest up, girl. We've got a bit of a ride after this." The horse whinnied and bumped her with her nose gently. "Alright, enough of that." The blonde grinned and marched into Riften.

She nodded to Mjoll as she passed and the woman smiled at her. "Safe travels, friend?"

"Mostly." Elrue grinned and neglected to mention that she'd just conversed with a honest-to-gods dragon named Paarthurnax. "There were a few surprises, but my endeavors were largely successful. You? Any headway with the Thieves Guild or Blackbriar corruption?"

"Not yet. I have gathered that they've had a bit of a turnaround. For a while there, the group seemed to be dying off, but…" The woman trailed off. "Maybe they've finally got a decent recruit." She looked around and sighed. "I don't know, Tawny, I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle. The people in this town don't seem to want to be rid of them."

Elrue chose her next words carefully. For all the Lioness was doing to destroy her guild, she did admire the woman. "Well, I know that, on principle, the Thieves Guild is a corrupt organization and Maven…" She remembered the Goldenglow Estate mission. "Is a vicious and clever woman, but...perhaps that is what passes for normal around here." Mjoll looked at her sharply. "Look, have you ever been to Markarth?"

"Once, as a young girl."

"Markarth is awful." The blonde assured her. "Worse than here. They have the Silver-bloods and they're as bad or worse than the Blackbriars." Mjoll looked doubtful. "What I'm saying, I guess, is that every big city has a powerful family or two pulling the strings. Yes, the Blackbriars make the rules and that's not fair, but better Maven than Thonar Silverblood or the warring families of Battleborn and Graymane." Elrue finished and somewhat held her breath as Mjoll considered her seriously.

"Maybe you're right." She said finally and looked around. "I can't help when people don't want to be helped. If the Guild-" She stopped herself and shook her head. "I can't call them that."

"The Thieves organization." The changeling prompted.

"Right. If they really are getting back on their feet, the whole land will be corrupted before long like it was when my father was a boy. I can't fight that; I'm one person."

"It doesn't mean that you couldn't still be that moral voice in Riften. Sometimes all that is necessary is for someone to speak up when something wrong is happening."

"To what end, though, my friend? What's the point in speaking if no one hears?"

"I hear." Elrue felt a bit like a hypocrite. Was she not the new recruit that had brought the Thieves Guild so much triumph as of late? However, her morals were with Mjoll. Were it not for the hurt and anger and rage toward Elenwen, she would likely take up the sword of politics beside the Lioness.

"You're one person."

"But if I'm one person and I tell two people and they tell two people…" The tall blonde smiled. "See where I'm going with this?"

"I do." Mjoll shook her head, "But word of mouth can be misleading."

An idea struck the blonde. "Put it in print."

"Print?"

"Write it out and put it up in the cities. Send scrolls to sympathizers. Advertise against this." Elrue gestured around. "Might work."

"It might." The Lioness regarded her. "I can't write."

"I'll bet Aerin can."

Mjoll smiled. "He can."

"You can run it as a husband and wife enterprise."

The Nord woman blinked. "Husband and wife? Aerin and I aren't married."

"Oh." Elrue was surprised. "I just thought…"

"Aerin is my dearest friend. He saved my life. I was wounded in a Dwemer ruin by a Centurion. Aerin found me and nursed me back to health."

"Oh, Wow."

"Yes, I've not gone adventuring since. I miss it." She sighed. "Though I do miss my blade the most."

"Your blade?"

"Grimsever. I lost it in the ruins." She looked into nothingness. "Did you ever have a weapon you felt a spiritual connection to?"

Elrue put a hand on the hilt of her glass dagger. The movement was not lost on her companion. "As a matter of fact, I do." She looked at Mjoll. "I'll get that blade for you. Where is it?"

"Mzinchaleft, but you can't go in there for that. It would kill me if you died trying to retrieve it." The woman's blue eyes sparkled with concern.

"I need money." The blonde said flatly. "Dwarven wares go like hot sweet rolls in the smaller cities like Morthal and Falkreath. I can stock up and sell it off. If I come across your blade, I'll bring it back." She shrugged and turned to go. "And get Aerin's quill on the parchment. I think it would do a lot of good."

Elrue climbed down the trapdoor to find Brynjolf looking worried. "Mercer needs to see you."

"Is anything wrong?" She asked as she took in his countenance. "Is this about that Argonian that worked as a broker for that beehive place? I swear, I didn't hurt him, no matter what he says-"

"No," The man shook his head. "It's about Karliah, the woman who betrayed the Guild."

"Oh." She really didn't have time for this. "Well, I'm sorta in a rush-"

"Now." The man grumbled.

"Yep, on my way." The woman answered as she looking longingly at the door behind which the fence resided.

Mercer Frey was in a foul mood and considering the man was usually in a foul mood, this somewhat alarmed Elrue. "I know exactly where we need to go." He said without preamble or halting his neurotic pacing.

"We? I'm going?"

"Got a problem with that?"

"Well, you see, I've got this thing..." She began as she thought of returning to Delphine, finding the Elder Scroll, and defeating Alduin before he brought about the endtimes all so that she could find her mother and ram a glass dagger into her heart.

"Forget about it. This is more important."

"Um," She began again, but he grabbed the front of her leather armor.

"Are you disobeying me? Do you know how easy it would be to have you thrown in Riften jail and forgotten?"

Elrue's mind flashed to Maven's stern and humorless face. "I'll go." She growled and he let her down. _You'll be sorry you put your hands on me_. She told him with a vicious glare. The changeling wasn't sure how she would make the Master of the Thieves Guild sorry, but she knew that she would.


	15. Chapter 15

They got to the Draugr crypt and the blonde dismounted Fury. The horse gave a soft whinny. "I know. I don't like this either." Elrue took off her reigns and pocketed them. "Why don't you take the road up into Winterhold. Stay on the outskirts and I'll meet you there."

Once the mare took off, the blonde sensed a presence and turned to find Mercer had made his appearance. "Why is your horse taking off?"

"Something spooked her." She lied and he looked at her shrewdly. "Are we going to do this?"

"Yes. Karliah is already here." He led her into the belly of the hill and to a puzzle door. "These Nordic puzzle doors." He scoffed. "All it take is a little know-how and the right leverage." The man knelt down and Elrue watched in amazement as he picked the uncrackable door and gestured for her to enter first. "After you."

"You want me to lead?"

He frowned. "You seem to have a problem with authority."

The blonde moved forward without another word, but swore that if she could tip a sarcophagus onto him and make it look like an accident, she would.

XXX

After a far more long-winded journey than Elrue had anticipated or hoped for, she stepped to the center of the Guild's cistern and accepted the title of Guildmaster. Who would have thought all those odd jobs would have paid off so quickly?

Wondering to herself how in the hell eight months had passed since her father's death, the blonde shook Brynjolf's hand and then Karliah's.

"The Guild is better than ever." The dark elf gave her a rare smile. "All thanks to you."

"I had some help." She grinned.

"We are unstoppable." Brynjolf patted her on the back. "We've got a strong foot in every hold and we've had so many people want to join that we've actually had to set up a recruitment booth by the stables. The only thing that might cause us ire is that little poster operation that Mjoll the Lioness and her friend run right under our noses."

"They are to be left alone." The blonde said with a commanding voice that did not seem her own.

The Elf and the Nord blinked. "They could stir up latent hatred-" The man began.

"Better an in-your-face resistance than a sudden rebellion." She argued.

"That's a good point." Karliah nodded. "Besides, there are people in Riften who love them. Aerin's mother was a saint; she actually was best friends with Maven when she was younger. We were never allowed to take anything from their house. Not as long as Eufala lived anyway."

"Interesting." The blonde commented then shook her head. "Anyway, make sure everyone steers clear of their operation as much as possible. The less contact, the better."

"What about you?" Brynjolf asked suddenly with a gleam in his eye. "Aren't you and Mjoll pretty chummy?"

"Keep your enemies close." She said dryly and then winked. "I've got to be off. I can hear pockets that need to be emptied."

"There you are." Delphine said as the blonde came up the stone steps of Sky Haven. Relief was etched into every line on her face. "We haven't seen you in weeks!"

"I know." Elrue sat down at the large stone table. "I got roped into this whole ordeal at the Thieves Guild."

"Yeah, we heard a rumor that Mercer was out." The older woman glanced to where Esbern was coming into the room.

"Tawny, my child!" He exclaimed. "I'll be right back with some soup!" With this he disappeared.

Delphine turned back to her. "Believe it or not, that crazy old man is a great chef." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder at him and then took in the younger changeling's armor. "So, Guildmaster?"

Elrue grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I don't really know how it happened. I was just focusing on training like you said and doing as many jobs as possible for whatever coin I could get."

"Coin?"

"For resources." The blonde raised her brows. "When this is all over, I still plan to kill her."

"Oh, of course-"

"Bread, cheese, soup and ale!" The man announced as he came back into the room. He set the plate before her and the blonde's mouth began to water.

"Thanks." Taking a spoon in hand, she didn't speak for several minutes, but scarfed down the steaming soup until her belly was full and her appetite sated. "So, about the Graybeards…"

When she had finished, Delphine slapped the table and stood. "I knew it! I knew there was something like this they were keeping!"

"Yeah, and to be honest, I understand why they were keeping it a secret-"

"You understand them?" The older woman frowned. "That dragon should have been killed a long time ago."

"If Paarthurnax were dead, we wouldn't know what we know now."

"Paarthurnax?" Esbern asked.

"That's his name." Elrue explained impatiently.

"Is his name on the list?" Delphine questioned the man.

"I believe so."

"What list?"

"A list of the few dragons that survived when the Blades destroyed them." The older woman jumped in. "A list of the dragons that still need to be slain."

There was an echo of silence that rang in the great, stone chamber and Elrue put down her bottle of ale. "You want me to kill him." It wasn't a question.

"You have to."

"Why?"

"He. Is. A. Dragon." Delphine leaned on the table.

"Not just any dragon." Esbern stood and disappeared for a few seconds as the two women tried to stare one another down. The old man returned with a tattered book. "Paarthurnax was one of Alduin's greatest allies. He did awful things. But," Esbern paused.

"But what?" The Breton woman demanded.

"It was also Paarthurnax who led the rebellion against Alduin. It is recorded that he helped mankind learn to shout."

"And without the thu'um, we can't defeat Alduin. So Paarthurnax actually handed mankind their best weapon." Elrue argued.

There was another extremely tense moment. Delphine crossed her arms. "You have to kill him."

"I will not." The changeling straightened her spine and stood a head taller than either of her companions. "He has helped me. I will not kill him."

"We-" The older woman began.

"Need me." The room went silent again. "I'm the only one who can keep them dead, I won't kill him, and you need me to defeat Alduin."

Delphine's arms dropped. "So that's it then?" She looked at Esbern. "You don't have anything to say?"

The grayed man looked from the older woman to the younger. "I think Paarthurnax should answer for his crimes. But Tawny is right. We can't kill him or move forward without her." He looked at his old friend. "If the price for saving the world is a war criminal spared...well, I think I'm willing to make that deal."

Elrue waited on the older woman. She respected Delphine very much and had come to rely on her judgement and experience. However, there were some grudges that ran too deep to behave sensibly about. Finally, the Breton looked up and locked blue eyes on her. "For the record, I think you're making a mistake...but, it's your power and your blade to wield. It's not for me to tell you who or what you use them on."

The changeling nodded and relaxed the tension in her shoulders. "Thank you, Delphine."

Nodding back to her, the older woman looked down at her bowl and plate. "And eat some more of Esbern's godsdamned soup. He made enough to feed the Imperial Legion."

The blonde grinned and sat back down as the older man, seemingly relieved that the tension had dissipated jumped up to retrieve more grub as Delphine sat opposite her protege and faintly scowled.

"Have you found any pertinent information about Elenwen?"

This seemed to rouse the blonde woman. "She has traveled back to the Summerset Isles, for now."

"Hmm."

"Don't worry. She'll be back. In the meantime," Delphine seemed to hesitate, but continued. "Have you given any thought to your Nord father?"

Elrue stopped chowing on cheese as Esbern slid another bowl in front of her. "Not really."

"Wouldn't you like to know who he is?"

"I think one complicated family member is enough."

"Perhaps." The woman seemed to contemplate this. "But aren't you the least bit curious?"

"My father-" She stopped herself. "Emiluin believed that my birth father didn't know about me, but that I might be in danger if he did. He just said he was a powerful Nord living in Skyrim. I think he was afraid that whoever he was, he might abduct me or use me as bait."

"That would be a pragmatic way to get to your mother."

Esbern seated himself back down. "I could do a bit of digging, if you like." He across the table at her. "If you give me whatever details your father gave you...I could come up with a list of potential candidates." The blonde hesitated. "Only if you wish. I have plenty of time here. Delphine spends all her time in the courtyard training." He cut his eyes to her and the older blonde woman sighed in an exasperated way.

"Well," Elrue began. "all Emiluin said was that Elenwen took him prisoner and in order to escape, he convinced her that he loved her. He betrayed her, of course, and then not long after, I came along and was shipped out to the country to live in obscurity."

"So he was a prisoner of war? The Great War, perhaps?" Esbern leaned forward. "You're, what? Twenty-three, twenty-four?"

The woman blinked. "I'll be twenty-five...next week, actually."

"Next week?" Delphine asked. "You could have said something."

"I just forgot." The changeling smiled sheepishly. "I've had a few things going on, if you hadn't noticed."

"So," The old man jumped in, completely taken with the idea of a great scholarly mystery, "Your father was a prisoner taken during the Great War, interrogated by Elenwen, and then set free?"

"He escaped."

"No one escapes a Thalmor Embassy on their own."

Elrue looked at Delphine and shrugged. "Emiluin said he escaped, that's all I know. And that he was a powerful man, here."

"Well, I'll come up with a list." Esbern nodded. "It will probably be a short one." He added out the side of his mouth.

The blonde smiled. "Thanks." She dove back into her soup.


	16. Chapter 16

Deciding that she would take care of Mzinchaleft before heading to the college in search of information about the Elder Scroll, Elrue rode Fury up to the ruins and took out several bandits while still on horseback.

Creeping through the ruins and shooting from the shadows worked fairly well; until she got to the Dwarven Centurion. "What the fuck is that?"

The thing suddenly came to life. The changeling sprinted past it and dodged its whirling attack to vault upward to a higher plane. She began firing off arrow after arrow into the great mechanical beast as she danced around.

A solid gash to her upper torso staggered her and she quickly pulled a potion from a compartment in her armor and chugged it as she ducked another blow. " _Fus Ro Dah_!" She bellowed and knocked the Centurion backward for a moment. Taking up a war axe from the ground, she lunged forward and caught the killing machine in the throat. It sputtered and oil washed over her as they both tumbled down.

The Centurion collapsed and moved no more as Elrue looked down at the glistening axe. Deciding she rather liked the weapon, she tucked it into her belt and began scavenging about the area. She'd looked everywhere for Mjoll's sword, but had not seen it. Finally, spying a gleam of green-gold glass on a stone desk, the blonde hurried forward and hefted the weapon.

It was a beautifully made weapon and it sparkled in the firelight of the Dwemer ruins. Along the hilt the word _Grimsever_ was etched with care. "Nice." The blonde grinned.

XXX

Elrue found Mjoll and Aerin sitting in a quiet corner of the Bee and Barb the next evening. She walked in and sat down beside Aerin who looked surprised to see her.

"You smell...strange."

"Dwarven Centurion blood." The blonde replied and put the glass sword on the table. Mjoll looked down and for a moment, Elrue thought she had gotten the wrong sword because the woman didn't say anything. "Mzinchaleft was no walk in the park." She said.

"You actually went in there and got this?" The Lionesses fingers caressed the weapon carefully.

"I did."

"For me?"

"Well, like I said-" She began, but at that moment Talen-Jei came to the table and looked at Elrue pointedly.

"Look, I don't want any trouble." He said to her in his raspy voice.

"I thought we were square after the amethysts." She sighed.

"Well, _we_ are." He said with significance and then looked to his wife. "But Keerava…"

The changeling looked around the Argonian to see his wife staring daggers at her. Elrue gave her a cheery wave. "Right. I'll be going." She sighed again. The blonde nodded to Aerin and Mjoll as Talen-Jei escorted her to the door.

"Look, she'll come around. I told her you helped with the ring and she seemed happy about that, but...your people are still taxing us pretty heavily." He said the last bit quietly.

"Really?" Elrue was surprised.

"Didn't you know? You are the tax collector."

"Not anymore." She sighed. "I'll look into the taxes, but in the meantime…" She opened the door and glanced back to the Argonian behind the bar. "You work on Keerava. I'd like to be able to have a drink here now and again."

XXX

"Why are we still taxing the shop owners so heavily?" She asked Brynjolf as he sauntered up to where she was slumped over the Guildmaster's desk in the cistern.

He paused; clearly surprised. "Well, I'm not sure."

"What are we charging? 200 Septims a week? That's too much; far too much."

"Alright, lass." He said in a calming voice. "I think it was an oversight. Now that the Guild is back, we can lower the taxes to say...half?"

"How about a quarter with special discounts?" She murmured.

"How do you mean?"

"I mean, if say, Grelka will give discounts to new recruits then we will lower her taxes to fifty a week."

He stroked his chin. "There's something to that…"

"It would give them incentives to help us out. Pitch it to them like they benefit in the long run. It would also help the new recruits build relationships with the locals and there would be fewer break-ins here in Riften."

"You don't want our young pups getting their feet wet at home? Where they have a cushion to fall back on?"

She looked up at him with golden eyes. "Do you shit where you eat?"

He paused and then burst into laughter. "Alright, lass! I see your point. No more arbitrary missions in Riften, but big-ticket items-"

"Are still on the menu, of course." She nodded. "But let's concentrate our fresh faces in different Holds." She tapped the map. "For instance, send a pair to Markarth for two weeks and then rotate them to Whiterun. Only two at a time and for two weeks only. That way, they see all of Skyrim, have a partner to watch their back, and are out of there before locals get suspicious. Rotating them out should give them a lot of experience and keep them busy enough to keep their hands out of Riften's pockets."

"I knew we made you Guildmaster for a reason." He clapped her on the back. "That's a great idea. We'll get it going at once."

"Great." She dusted off her hands. "And work on setting a price and incentives list for Riften shopkeepers. We want to be organized like a legitimate Guild."

"Right you are." He nodded and then caught her. "Oh, and I heard you retrieved the Lioness's long lost weapon."

"I needed money and Mzinchaleft was on my way." She shrugged.

"Just you be careful, lass."

"I'm not afraid of Mjoll." Elrue squared her shoulders.

"That's not what I meant." He lowered his voice. "This life is hard on relationships."

"Ok…"

"It's hard for a woman to accept a thief, but it would be even harder for the Lioness to accept the Guildmaster-"

"That's not what's going on here." Elrue blushed and backed away. "I respect the woman and I found the sword while I was there and gave it back to her. That's all."

"Alright, lass. I'm sorry I stepped on your toes-"

"You didn't. I'm fine." She turned her back. "I'm fine." The changeling said to herself. "Just work on those taxes and recruit rotations. I'm going to be out of pocket for a while, but I'll send a message when I can."

"I'll take care of everything, Mistress." The man said this a bit ironically as she headed for the ladder. "Just you watch yourself out there. The roads are rough."

"Don't I know it?" She said softly as she climbed the ladder.


End file.
